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Each hair on your head has its own individual life cycle. A strand grows for up to 6 years (anagen phase). Then it starts to die (catagen phase), and after about 6 weeks falls out (sheds). Then the hair follicle (root sac) rests for around 6 months (telogen phase) before a new hair starts growing to replace the one that fell out. Excessive shedding is a problem for millions of men and women and several things can cause it, vitamin, mineral, and hormone deficiencies, as well as drugs (street and pharmaceutical).
Loss of scalp hair is not a serious life threatening disorder, but it can cause psychological distress and affect quality of life adversely. Hairs are rapidly proliferating organ with much requirement of blood supply. Therefore, the relationship between micronutrients and hair loss has been evaluated in several studies since the 1960s. The most widely cited nutritional causes of hair loss include iron, one of the key micronutrients in metabolism of our body. From its diverse functions, it is well known that iron deficiency (ID) is associated with a lot of pathological conditions. However, its role in hair loss is not well established yet.
Biotin is the most highly touted supplement for hair growth, but does it really make hair grow? The answer is a resounding NO! Your hair can fall out if you have a biotin deficiency, but it will not make your hair grow if you don't.
BIOTIN
Biotin (also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H) is a water-soluble vitamin that serves as an essential cofactor for carboxylase enzymes in multiple metabolic pathways. Due to its relatively low cost and abundance of availability in cosmetic products, biotin has become the new trend for consumers wishing to have longer, healthier hair and nails. Current recommendations for biotin by the Institute of Medicine state that the daily adequate intake (AI) for adults is 30 μg/day. Most healthy individuals meet these requirements through a well-balanced diet, though many still take up to 500–1,000 μg of biotin supplementation daily. Although no major toxicities of excess biotin have been reported, data on the actual benefit of biotin's effect on hair and nail growth is limited. Moreover, outside the setting of pregnancy, malnutrition, medication effects, and biotinidase deficiency in children, reports of low biotin levels have rarely been cited. Therefore, we propose that true biotin deficiency is uncommon and that there is lack of sufficient evidence for supplementation for hair and nail growth in individuals who do not present with low levels of biotin.
Oral zinc compounds have been used for decades for treating disorders such as telogen effluvium and alopecia areata. Reports have also been published on oral zinc sulfate therapy with encouraging results for some cases of alopecia areata. In 1976 Wolowa and Jablonska5 reported that two patients with alopecia areata regrew their hair after treatment with oral zinc sulfate. It has been reported that some alopecia areata patients have zinc deficiency. Zinc is an essential cofactor for multiple enzymes and it is involved with important functional activities in the hair follicle. Further, zinc is a potent inhibitor of hair follicle regression and it accelerates hair follicle recovery. In the present study, we examined the serum levels of zinc in alopecia areata patients. We studied the therapeutic effect of 12 weeks oral zinc supplementation for treating alopecia areata patients who have a low serum zinc level and we checked their serum zinc level after this oral zinc supplementation.
Zinc is a trace mineral, meaning that the body only needs it in 'parts per million' and they are necessary for almost 100 enzymes to carry out vital chemical reactions. It's a major player in the creation of DNA, growth of cells, building proteins, healing damaged tissue, and supporting a healthy immune system.
Zinc is essential for hair growth and overall hair health. Zinc plays several crucial roles in maintaining healthy hair, including: Protein synthesis, hair is primarily made of a protein called keratin, and zinc is involved in making keratin which ensures that hair grows strong and healthy. Also, there are recorded cases of people whose hair changed back from dull, aging gray to their original colors when placed on diets rich in zinc.
It has been reported that some alopecia areata patients have zinc deficiency. There have also been several reports published concerning oral zinc sulfate therapy, with encouraging results, in some alopecia areata patients. Oral zinc compounds have been used for decades for treating disorders such as telogen effluvium and alopecia areata. Reports have also been published on oral zinc sulfate therapy with encouraging results for some cases of alopecia areata. In 1976 Wolowa and Jablonska reported that two patients with alopecia areata regrew their hair after treatment with oral zinc sulfate. It has been reported that some alopecia areata patients have zinc deficiency. Zinc is an essential cofactor for multiple enzymes and it is involved with important functional activities in the hair follicle. Further, zinc is a potent inhibitor of hair follicle regression and it accelerates hair follicle recovery. In the present study, we examined the serum levels of zinc in alopecia areata patients. We studied the therapeutic effect of 12 weeks oral zinc supplementation for treating alopecia areata patients who have a low serum zinc level and we checked their serum zinc level after this oral zinc supplementation.
Recently I noticed I had a strange dent in 2 of my fingernails. When I researched what was causing them it said it was a symptom of zinc deficiency. I drank a couple oz. of the nano zinc three times the evening he made it, and when I brushed my hair the very next morning, only about 20 strands were left in my brush, instead of a large handful. That's how I discovered that zinc will stop excessive hair shedding.
As an experiment, I didn't drink any nano zinc for several days to see if, and when, my hair would start shedding again. In 6 days it started to shed again, not as bad as before the zinc but more than the days before. So I drank more zinc and the next morning the excessive shedding stopped again. This is why I'm making nano zinc a part of the Restore14 hair restoration system.
Zinc does a bunch of other cool things too, like this. I'm 68 and several years ago I woke up one morning and the hearing in my right ear was diminished by about 40%. After drinking the zinc for about 2 weeks, yesterday, all of a sudden, my full hearing came back.
COPPER Copper helps in maintaining healthy skin and hair by stimulating blood flow to the scalp, building up elasticity in hair, reducing greasiness, reducing symptoms of dandruff, building up collagen and elastin, reducing damage done by free radicals, and protecting from sun damage.
IRON
Copper is necessary for your body to be able to use iron, and iron is essentical for hair growth and regrowth. BUT...excess intake of supplemental zinc, at doses of 50 mg/day or more for extended periods of time, may result in copper depletion. The mechanism may relate to increased synthesis of metallothionein (MT), an intracellular zinc- and copper-binding protein. MT has a stronger affinity for copper than zinc, so high levels of MT induced by excess zinc may trap copper within enterocytes thus limiting its bioavailability. This postulate, however, was called into question by studies done in MT-deficient mice, in which high enteral zinc still decreased copper absorption, suggesting that high zinc may block a copper transporter. Conversely, elevated copper intakes have not been found to affect zinc nutritional status. Moreover, zinc supplementation at 10 mg/day for eight weeks restored normal plasma copper/zinc ratios in 65 subjects on long-term hemodialysis who initially exhibited low serum zinc and high copper. Whether improving zinc and copper status of hemodialysis patients can impact clinical outcomes, however, needs to be assessed.
I hope this 'zincs' in, thanks for reading, Sindi